Gerard Paagman is – well – a “character” for lack of a better word to describe him.

If you have not met him, you are missing out. He travels all over North America – promoting Ideal Harness and his beautiful Friesian horses. The first time I saw him, he came to the Big Sky Draft Horse Expo in Deer Lodge, Montana – September 2009

In fact, I took this photo of Gerard driving his chariot with his Friesians four- abreast. He and his wife, Caio, liked this photo so much he asked if he could paint it on his tack trailer.

Of course I said, “NO”— if you believe that – well, I have a bridge for sale …

The following year Gerard brought the horses and harness back to Deer Lodge – it was a thrill to see the photo I took on their trailer!

I was in awe when they drove eight horses at a full gallop around the arena – then the driver took off his hat and waved to the audience with one hand while he drove eight running horses with the other hand!

Impressive! And the harness they are using – is – of course, Ideal Harness that Gerard imports from the Netherlands.

Gerard came back to Deer Lodge for the Expo in 2010 and drove a team of four Friesians. Decked out in their finest.

As a bonus – Gerard let Joe Yoder take the lines to play with the team of four.

It was impressive to watch both men drive but I fell in love with that left hand lead horse! All the Friesians were beautiful but there was something about that left lead horse!

Well, back to Gerard –

He comes ….

Always smiling –

And with a trailer full of harness. This shot was actually taken the last time he came in July,

with his adorable daughter Jambo Ree and her new puppy.

Gerard also has a wall of driving bits…

And lots of harness parts, cones, whips and much, much more.

Then he had to hurry away to make his next appointment in Washington State. Miles to go before he sleeps…

Before I end this post – I should add – we sell this very well made and very affordable harness in leather and synthetic as well as all the other accoutrements Gerard supplies. And we are talking about being the distribution location for Ideal Harness USA. So if you are looking for a well made affordable harness for any size horse, from a mini to a draft – let us know. Here is our website’s home page for the Fraser School of Driving – I don’t have the Ideal Harness listed yet but will soon.

P.S. Check our website for some awesome driving horses listed for sale and stay tuned to this blog for a couple new driving ponies that just arrived that I’ll be adding soon. If you decide to follow this blog by using your email address (see upper left corner) you will be notified every time I add a new post. You can un-subscribe any time you want… but you might enjoy seeing, right away, what is new here at the Fraser School of Driving!

Oh, shoot – the whole reason I wanted to do this post was to share part of the newsletter Gerard sent with this note and video. I quote:

“Combined driving on National Television! And so, after the shows and CDE’s in Innavale, 70 Mile House, Birds Hill [Manitoba] and all those others we went to the CDE in Calgary [Alberta, Canada]. Rick Mercer came to Calgary with a big television crew. Rick Mercer is famous in Canada for making his weekly ‘Ricky Mercer Report’. Broadcasted nationwide by CBC and watched every week by millions of Canadians. And Rick Mercer and his crew made a program about Combined Driving and you know what? Our horses, our team members and of course our Ideal Harness are in it. [and me too with a team of our Friesian horses!]”

Have you missed this show? Not a problem because you can watch it here.

Gerard and his family truly are the Sweetest family i have ever meet!! Love and miss helping the “House of Friesian” team in sandpoint every year they came! and Being able to Drive and Ride those horses was like a Dream i will never forget!! Famka ( mare) was my mount for the day! and learning to drive the 4 up the Gerard one handed way was quite the Experience!! and would love to do it again!!